AAPI Commends Congressional Briefing Testimony Offered by Professor Dr. K. Srinath Reddy ..
Jul 17, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Dino Teppara, Esq.
AAPI Director of Legislative Affairs
Work: (703) 462-5221
Cell: (803) 467-2130
Legislativeaffairs@aapiusa.net
July 17, 2009
AAPI Commends Congressional Briefing Testimony Offered by Professor Dr. K. Srinath Reddy Before the Congressional Global Health Caucus
Washington, D.C. – Today, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) commended the testimony offered by Dr. Reddy, President of the Public Health Foundation of India, at a congressional briefing focusing on the global impact of chronic diseases.
“We are pleased that Dr. Reddy came to Capitol Hill to brief staff from congressional offices, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” said Dr. Vinod K. Shah, President of AAPI, who attended the briefing with Dino Teppara, AAPI’s Director of Legislative Affairs. “Dr. Reddy is an internationally recognized expert who has dedicated his career to public health and eradicating chronic diseases. We are pleased he was invited to speak in Congress and look forward to working with him to successfully overcome the challenges of chronic diseases here in the U.S. and in India.”
Dr. Reddy is a clinical cardiologist, headed the Department of Cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and edited the National Medical Journal of India for 10 years.
He provided a slideshow during the briefing detailing statistics noting 35 million global deaths in 2005 were caused by chronic illnesses such as diabetes, respiratory problems, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. These deaths predominately affected lower-income populations. In Kerala, the impact of cardiovascular disease on households resulted in 50% needing distress financing, 40% of patients lost income, 82% did not have health care insurance, 13% could not continue their medication due to costs, and 73% had catastrophic health expenditures. In India, a low-income household spends 34% of its income if a family member needs diabetes care. Up to 30% of Indians in urban areas are obese, due to a shift in diet towards high-fat and refined sugar Western diets, exacerbated by a lack of physical activity.
Dr. Reddy’s presentation concluded by noting the great financial burdens chronic diseases impose on governments, individuals and families. Chronic diseases, the majority of which can be prevented, affect economic output and also stymie global development.
The briefing began with opening remarks from U.S. Rep. David Reichert and was moderated by Sir George Alleyne, Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean Region. Speakers in addition to Dr. Reddy included Dr. Gerard Anderson, professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University; Dr. Thomas Gaziano, professor of medicine at Harvard University; and Dr. Rachel Nugent, deputy director for global health at the Center for Global Development.
The Congressional Global Health Caucus was founded by U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) and is co-chaired by U.S. Rep. David Reichert (R-WA), U.S. Rep. Vic Snyder, M.D. (D-AR), U.S. Rep. Donna Christian-Christensen, M.D. (D-VI), U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID), and U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC).
L-R- Dr. Vinod K. Shah, AAPI President; House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer; Professor Dr. K. Srinath Reddy
Dr. Reddy’s biography:
http://www.phfi.org/about/people_detail.html#srinath
The Congressional Global Health Caucus:
http://reichert.house.gov/Biography/globalhealth/